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This Week in Health & Medicine

15th September 2016

Gloucester, Mass., Police Chief Leonard Campanello, joined by other member of law enforcement from around the country, talks to media outside the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 6, 2016, after meeting with senior White House officials to discuss the urgent need for resources to address the nationwide prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Rebecca Cooney & Aaron van Dorn

Rebecca Cooney and Aaron van Dorn of The Lancet New York office

This week in health and medicine news from The Lancet USA, the real cost of the opioid epidemic, potential changes for the Clinton Foundation, and an outbreak of infections at a dental clinic in California.

The Cost of Opioids

Researchers have calculated that the total economic burden of the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic is $78.5 billion dollars. Health care costs, cost of substance abuse treatment and nonfatal loss in productivity represent nearly two thirds of the total cost. Slightly less than ten percent of the total was due to criminal justice costs, mostly at the state and local level. (Science Daily)

Potential Changes at the Clinton Charities

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, headquartered in Boston, has announced plans to distance itself from the Clinton family should Hillary Clinton win the presidential election in November. The Clinton family and several closely linked members would step down from the board of directors, and the organization would be known as CHAI, with the C standing for something else. Close Clinton aide Ira Magaziner would continue on as the organization’s chief executive. CHAI operates in more than 30 countries and negotiates lower prices for HIV/AIDS drugs and is the largest of the Clintons’ charity endeavors. (Boston Globe)

Children Hospitalized with Infection From Dental Procedure

Seven children who all underwent the same procedure at a California dental clinic have been hospitalized with severe bacterial infections. The children all underwent pulpotomy, a common procedure for children who still have their primary teeth. The cause of the infection is currently unclear, and officials are contacting children who underwent the procedure back to May. (CBS News)

Suicide in New York City

The rate of suicide in New York City has risen nearly 15% since 2000, but still remains only half of the national average. While the rate of suicide among men has remained stable, the suicide rate among women has risen 56% since 2000. Experts credit part of the lower rate with tighter gun control laws. While guns are use in half of all suicides nationwide, they only accounted for 10% in New York City. (PIX 11)

Pediatricians and Gun Safety

According to a recent survey conducted by the Journal of Pediatrics of 1,200 parents around St. Louis, pediatricians rarely broach the issue of gun safety with patients, even though many parents would welcome it. The survey found that 77% of pediatricians had not asked about gun safety, while 75% of respondents would welcome a discussion of safely storing guns. However, parents who actually reported owning guns were less interested in gun safety discussions with their pediatricians. (Kaiser Health News)

Under (Blood) Pressure

According to a new report from the CDC, 70% of Americans over 65 have high blood pressure, and almost half of those under 65 do not have their blood pressure under control. For a quarter of Americans over 65 enrolled in the Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance program are not taking their blood pressure medication as directed. The CDC also calls for larger refill schedules for blood pressure medication, and coordination of drugs onto a single refill day. (CDC)